Wishes of the Lonely
by AMessofADreamerx
Summary: One night a girl named Gemina and a boy named Merlin are standing in the same place at the same time, but in different years. The girl wishing to not spend the rest of her life alone and the boy wishing he had someone to take care of him like he always has to do for others.


**Wishes of the Lonely**

 ** _PROLOGUE_**

Gemina. Her short pixie cut hair and her black-lined droopy eyes told the world she didn't care. The scars on her wrists told the world that in the past she had tried to care. Standing alone in front of a big lake in modern day England, she told herself that it didn't matter if she even cared. Her brown eyes stared unblinkingly into the watery reflection of three hundred sextillion stars and three hundred and thirty six moons and eight planets and five dwarf planets.

She was one of seven billion people. Gem's been alive for twenty one years and out of these seven billion people, she figured if one of them was going to care for her, they would have done so by now.

Sixteen years ago, her sixteen year old mother left her, and fourteen years ago she was put into the foster care system. Gem has spent seven years being thrown back forth between orphanages and foster families, with twelve months in a juvenile detention facility one of those years.

So tell her, why should she even care?

* * *

Merlin. His at the ready smile and caring blue eyes told the world he cared. The scars that decorated his body and all the memories of near death told the world he cared a little too much. Standing alone in front of Lake of Avalon, he wondered how he ended up this way. His light eyes stared unblinkingly into the watery reflection of stars, so many sparkling the surface his mind couldn't even comprehend.

He was one person of many Kingdoms of people. He's been alive for 21 years and how had he received a heart brimming with loyalty and love and a destiny to protect a prince named Arthur? And whether it was his destiny or not, it wasn't just that prat he protected. He was surrounded by friends and family he'd risk his life for time and time again.

That heart of his wasn't only filled with loyalty and love. It also carried loneliness. For how he loved everyone else, no one could love him the same, for none truly knew him. While he knew all of them, none knew of his secrets of magic and fears of the future, and none of them will.

However he nearly found it once, but it was only nearly. Will he ever have somebody to love him like he's left loving people?

* * *

An otherworldly feeling possessed Gem at that moment, and her eyes were trapped in the glow of the moon on the lake. Soon her feet were following her gaze and the tips of her toes touched the edge of the bitter cold water. One more step, and another. It was like she was in a hypnosis from the pale light, the moon taking a magical host and pulling her in. However she was almost relieved to have a moment of no thought, of nothingness. Always something running around her mind but right now, right in this instance her mind was stilled.

For once, something was actually wanting her. Something was taking her by the hand and guiding her somewhere, and Gem just wanted to follow, and never have to rely on herself again. Deeper and deeper she went, till the water hit her chin and splashed her nose. Farther still, she continued till she was completely immersed and still didn't stop, letting the light tug her along. Gem wasn't even walking anymore, just floating the direction she was wanted.

When the pale moon was the only thing she saw in the abyss of black, Gem gave up for the last time.

* * *

A gasp escaped Merlin, an outwardly release of the loneliness that paralyzed him. The sound breaking the ice that had engulfed his being, he took one look into the lake before he thought to head back towards the castle, but saw a disruption in the water instead.

Something—some _one_ Merlin saw upon farther inspection, had risen from the depths. Silently, the body floated there, and without a moment's hesitation, he rushed the lake to bring it out, though he was certain it wasn't alive.

The thin frame was almost weightless when Merlin wrapped his arms around it, fitting and feeling the same way as another body he'd held in his arms before had. He swallowed hard.

"Freya?" He barely breathed but the blonde hair wasn't hers, and it was short, so he thought Arthur, not daring to speak the name out loud for he was entirely sure there was no breath left in the small body.

When Merlin reached the bank and his shoe covered feet found solid ground, he was able to flip the face towards him and found it was a women. She had short hair, but there was no mistaking the feminine features she had on her soft face. Then his heart skipped a beat when he saw the pulse in her neck, and he quickly pulled her the rest of the way, gently laying her down on the shore.

He muttered some words to quickly release the waters from her lungs and she began to cough, breathing jaggedly. Once her need for air became normal, she sat up and looked at her savior with wide eyes.

Merlin just stared back, unable to form a thought much less utter words from his mouth.

* * *

Finally she said in a croaky voice, "Thank you."

"Are you okay? What's your name?" He asked softly, trying to keep her soothed.

"I'm Gemina. Who are you?" She answered in a low voice, visibly wincing at the movement of her throat.

"I'm Merlin."

"Merlin?" Gemina repeated, her face scrunching up in confusion. Her eyes broke from his and she looked around, gasping. "Where am I? What have you done?" She accused, backing away and trying to stand, but she just fell back down because the ground didn't quite want to stay on the ground, and instead wanted to take her to the sky.

"I haven't done anything!" He exclaimed, "Suddenly you arose from the lake and I pulled you out!"

"The lake…" She muttered, her hypnosis coming back to her and she remembered the pull of someone wanting her and the pale light of the moon. "Where am I?" Gem asked again, terror quieting her voice.

"You're on the outskirts of Camelot," Merlin said, with hands open in surrender.

"You're crazy," Gem barely breathed, slowing bringing herself to sit up since she could do that. She figured any position was better than lying flat on her back, unable to defend herself, especially when she was in the presence of a madman.

"I…" He began, but found he couldn't finished. He didn't know what to say! He was crazy, when she had just popped up from the bottom of the lake? "Where are you from?"

She hesitated, wondering whether she should tell him, but she proceeded anyways, "London… England…," Gem said, but neither place registered on his face, and she had to swallow her panic. "Okay, look, do you have a cell phone on you? I'll just call a cab and get out of your hair."

"A… what?" Merlin replied, face scrunching up in confusion. Gem pursed her lips, close to losing her patience. This was ridiculous. They must still be in England, for there was that accursed lake.

"Would you just _stop_? God, nevermind, I'll just find myself back to the city," She replied with an angered sigh, but she was abruptly silenced when she turned to find the path back the road.

For it wasn't there and she was surrounded by a thick forest. Gem turned toward the lake, and squinted in the darkness. The traitor moon providing enough light to find it was lined with trees as well, and that was not exactly how it looked before she went for her swim.

"I can show you," Merlin suggested kindly, "It's only a few hours walk away."

"Shut up…" Gem breathed the words, before screaming them, "Just shut up for one second, will ya!?"

The boy's face suddenly fell and he looked away, leaving her feeling like she kicked a puppy. Gemina placed her head in her hands so she didn't have to look at him. "God," She muttered to herself, before accusing again, "What did you do? I just… is this a joke? Ashton, the gig is up! Feeling quite honored to be a part of the reboot, but I'm done!" Gem aimed this last bit towards the woods, while Merlin looked at her like she was the insane one.

* * *

There was an awkward pause, as Gemina waited for this Ashton to answer her, but of course it was only her and Merlin here. He decided it was time to look at her like a patient because obviously there was something mentally disturbing her.

"Gemina?" He began in a soothing tone, "Let's go back and I know someone who can help you."

"If this someone doesn't have a cell phone they won't be able to help me! I just want to go home," Her voice had rose to a yell, but she ended in a defeated tone. She would give anything to be in her little apartment, laying in her big bed, cuddled with her laptop watching Netflix.

"Gaius might be able to find you a c-cell phone," His tongue stumbled over the unfamiliar word and Gem just looked at him and she surrendered into his insanity.

"Fine. Take me to Camelot," she replied in a flat voice.

* * *

 _ **AN:** well hello there! umm yeah this is random and unexpected... unless you know I've been writing this prologue for months. though it wasn't originally a "prologue". it was just gonna be a one-shot but then tonight I thought of where this could go and I made the official decision. I hope you like it! I'll be writing for Anywhere soon too, don't worry!_

 _\- Anna :)_


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